1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dispensing closures for containers, and more particularly, to such closures which include a base portion and a separate hinge cap portion cooperatively engagable upon said base portion, the hinge of the hinge cap portion having a snap-action caming tab to retain the cap in open position and thereby permit dispensing of product from the container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Two piece closures for containers are known and usually include a base portion adapted to be positioned on the mouth of the container and a separately formed cap portion which is cooperatively engagable upon said base portion to complete the closure. Formation of such closures from separate cap and base portions is desirable and advantageous because, where such closures are formed of molded plastic material, the two portions may be produced using molds which are less complicated and expensive than molds required for forming one piece closures, and also, the two separate portions may be molded from different color plastic material.
Hinged dispensing closures for containers also are known, as represented in the prior art patents of record herein. Such closures commonly include a pivotally mounted cap hingedly connected to a base and capable of being moved between a closed and an open dispensing position. In the closed position, the cap covers a dispensing opening formed in the base, and in the open position, the cap is moved away from the opening to permit product to be dispensed from the container.
Prior art closures with pivotally mounted caps also are known to include hinge constructions to maintain the cap in open position away from the base without an outside restraining force, and also to maintain the cap in closed position over the base such as by friction fit of matingly engagable parts between the cap and the base. Representative illustrations of such relevant closures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,007,555, 5,996,859 and 6,116,447 which are owned by the same assignee or a subsidiary thereof as the assignee of the present application. The disclosures of said commonly owned patents hereby are incorporated herein by reference.
It is desirable to provide a convenient and expedient structure for causing the cap of such closures to snap open with respect to a container or a closure base on which the cap is positioned and thereby permit dispensing of the contents of the container through the closure. Preferably, such structure is formed from separately molded cap and base portions which are assembled together to provide the desired closure. Alternatively, the cap portion alone may be positioned directly upon a container to function as intended without the need for an associated base portion. Also, preferably, the cap portion of the closure is molded initially in its closed position or configuration which reduces the size of mold cavities required to produce same and thereby contribute to economy of manufacture.
The invention is characterized by a two piece hinged closure including a base portion and a separately formed cap portion. The cap portion includes an attachment skirt and a hinge connecting the skirt to the cap. The base portion is adapted to be secured to the mouth of a container and includes a spout surrounded by a skirt. The skirt of the cap is matingly engagable upon the skirt of the base to hold the cap securely upon the base when the cap is assembled therewith. The so assembled cap and base forms the two piece hinge closure of the invention in which the cap is movable between open and closed positions by pivoting the cap with respect to the base about the hinge connected between the cap and its associated skirt.
The hinge includes a caming tab centrally located between hinge straps connecting the cap to its associated skirt. The caming tab is engagable against an abutment or cam surface formed upon the base such that, when the cap is pivoted to its open position, the caming tab snaps over the abutment surface and thereby retains the cap in said open position.
Various objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in accordance with the above and ensuing disclosure in which a preferred embodiment is described in detail in the specification and illustrated in accompanying drawings. It is contemplated that minor variations may occur to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.